Blindly Trying
by Violent Words
Summary: When the new rider shows up at Pine Hollow, she very quickly weaves a world of confusion around herself, and her family. The Saddle Club are asked to take care of her, but one of their number decides against it...
1. Break The Chains

Another fan fiction - Awesome. I'm currently at grandad and my aunts place, so I can't publish anything at the moment. ANYWAY. I don't own Pine Hollow, or any of the characters you recognise. They belong to Bonnie Bryant, and co. NOW. ONWARDS.

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><p><em>Predictability has always been the same<em>

_I wanna break it down, I wanna break the chain_

_Sometimes it feels like I am caught up in the mix_

_Looking for different ways, that I can get my kicks!_

Lena Katina - I Know

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><p>Hope McIntyre sighed as she sat by the window of her new room, in Willow Creek. She smiled out the back, where her twin sister kicking a ball around with their father. Her mother was on the phone, and she was waiting for word from a stable. She heard a knock on her door, and tugged it open.<p>

Her mother stood there, smiling slightly at her, a stack of forms in her hands. "Already filled out, sweet-heart. You can take Freedom in tomorrow." Siobhan told her daughter, in her typical Irish accent. She smiled slightly, as her mother bustled off, talking about needing to find a club of some sort for Ruby to go to.

Hope grabbed onto a manila envelope, and started putting things inside it, including the forms her mother had just handed her, and some reports from her old tutor, biting against her glanced once more out the window, at her slightly fuzzy horse, who was happily attacking the long grass around the yard.

She giggled at the sight, happy she was able to ride here as well. She'd loved riding back in Scotland. She covered one eye, frowning at the blurry spots in her vision, until they vanished when she covered her left eye. She smiled a little, not being quite so dizzy.

If her parents knew, they'd be so disappointed in her. She eyed the boxes of trophies and ribbons in the corner of her room. Her father was working on a cabinet for the trophies, and she had a message board under her newly set up bed. But she didn't want to put them up yet.

There were more important things to do. Uncovering her left eye, she stood up, and headed downstairs, where her mother was calling for her.

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><p>When Stevie Lake showed up at Pine Hollow, early one morning, she caught sight of a horse float at the far end of the stable. A girl, with a mane of brown curls, was easing a black and white painted horse out of it, clicking to the horse gently.<p>

Stevie caught sight of one of her best friends, Lisa Atwood, watching from a safe distance away, appearing to be directing the girl. She paused, once the horse was out of the float. Stevie got a good look at the horse, and frowned. She'd never seen a horse like that before. It was big for a start, and had feathery feet.

Her first thought was a Clydesdale, but Clydesdales didn't have that sort of pattern on them, normally. She frowned, before Carole Hanson, her other best friend, came jogging over toward her.

"Morning, Stevie! Isn't he gorgeous?" Carole asked, nodding directly at the horse. Stevie nodded her head, frowning for a second, as she looked over her friend, to make sure she was properly dressed. Everything seemed in order, except…

"Carole, why is your hat on your foot?" She asked the brown eyed girl, who looked down at her feet. "OH! Whoops, I guess I was in a hurry…That new girl is all the way from Scotland!" Carole said, hastily swapping out her sock, which she discovered in the bag on her back. Stevie raised her eyebrows.

"Scotland? Isn't that a really long way away…Would her horse be uncomfortable?" Stevie asked, frowning softly. Carole shook her head. "No…they got him from Ireland." She said softly, watching Lisa help the girl, before Carole eagerly ran over. Stevie followed, much slower.

Lisa waved quietly at her friends, before turning towards the startled horse. The girl with the curly hair put her hand up on the horses neck soothingly, as she ran a hand up her horses neck, and down his face. The horse calmed down, and the girl turned towards Lisa.

"Thanks for your help." She said, smiling at a spot on the ground, at Lisa's feet. Her accent was slightly flawed, not sounding fully Scottish. Lisa smiled at her a little. "No problem! Just let me know if you need help again." She said to the girl, who looked upwards at Lisa, as Stevie and Carole joined her.

The girl had quite cheerful green eyes, framed by thin brown lashes. Her left eye seemed a little darker than her right one did. The girl had left some of her hair down, to mostly conceal her darker eye. The rest was held back in a ponytail.

She had pale skin, which made her look a little like a ghost. But her outfit screamed out otherwise. She'd painted a set of black jeans with neon paints, and had tied rainbow ribbons up through loops meant for other materials. She had normal riding boots on, and a plain black t-shirt. Under her other arm was a riding helmet, and a bright green jacket.

"Oh, hi guys…Stevie, Carole, this is Hope McIntyre." Lisa said. Hope offered her hands out to Stevie and Carole, smiling missed Carole's hand slightly, but Carole didn't seem to notice very much.

"Your horse! He's a Gypsy Vanner, isn't he?" She said excitedly. Hope nodded her head, running her hands over her horse once more.

"Yes…His name's Freedom." She said softly. Carole was practically twitching to get her hands on the horse, to examine his every inch…

"Want a pat? He's really quite friendly." She said softly to the three. Lisa nodded, and offered her hand out for Freedom to sniff. He sniffed at her, before he nuzzled her hand, asking for a pat. Stevie giggled at him. "He's such a baby!" She said, as Freedom, having received his pat from Lisa, was now nibbling around Stevie's pants, for the peppermints lurking inside the pockets.

While Freedom was doing this, Carole was checking him over. He was healthy, and strong. She measured him, and raised her eyebrows.

"Big boy…" She admitted to Hope, who nodded her head.

"Why, how tall is he?"

"17.1" Hope told Lisa, who blinked. "How do you ride him comfortably?" She asked, and Hope shrugged. "He's the right height for me. My legs are pretty long…" She admitted, looking somewhere to the right of Stevie's face. Freedom started nodding his head again, and the girl turned to him gently, cooing to him, as she stroked him once more, before her eyes found Lisa's.

"I better get him inside, and settled…"

"Max'll tell you where to go, you have to see him first before you're aloud to ride…"

"Ah, the new arrival!" Max's voice popped up from around the stables, as he dropped a bale of hay down. Hope smiled a little towards his voice. Freedom started nodding again, and Hope reached out to sooth him once more, clicking her tongue now and again.

"I'm Max, and you're Hope, right?"

"Yes, sir." She said respectfully, lowering her head. He nodded briefly, before glancing at Freedom, who was watching two of the broodmares in the paddock.

"He's…"

"A gelding, yes sir. He just likes to run and jump a lot." Hope told Max, who nodded his head at her, before frowning slightly.

"Where are your parents?"

"They left already, sir…"

"Please, call me Max…And I had some things for them to sign…"

"They already did…I've got them here, and enough to cover a terms worth of classes, as well as boarding fees." Hope said quickly, handing over a manila envelope.

"Also, my grades are an A- average, and I used to have a tutor at home. Her notes are in there as well." Hope added. Max looked over the official looking envelope and nodded his head.

"Everything seems to be in order. I'm sure The Saddle Club will inform you of the rules and traditions then…Girls, help Hope out for me…I don't want to feed her to the dogs, and hand her over to Veronica."

"Veronica? Would that be the snooty girl who tried to say her horse was better than mine was, before she even saw Freedom?"

"Yeah, that sounds a lot like Veronica." Max told Hope, who nodded her head. Lisa smiled at Max.

"Sure! Which stall do we put Freedom in?"

"The one next to Garnet will work just fine." He told Lisa, who beamed excitedly, as the man walked back inside. "He was completely eyeing you, Hope, how old are you?" Stevie teased her lightly.

"Barely fifteen." Hope admitted, grabbing onto Freedom's lead rope, as Lisa led the way, and Carole explained some of the rules.

"We have a horse shoe here that everybody has to rub before they go on a trail ride, or do a lesson. We've never had a serious injury here before because of it." She said. "And everyone pitches in with the chores around the stable…Except Veronica diAngelo, the snobby girl you met earlier. She doesn't even clean her own horse out unless she has to." Carole continued. Stevie grinned slightly.

"So, where in Scotland are you from?"

"Little country place. Lots of them up there…mam and daddy both rode too, and I have since I was little…I love riding, it's like a part of me." Hope said, looking a little distant. "So is Freedom…I love horses, they're such beautiful, elegant creatures…" She said, rubbing at Freedom's neck gently.

Lisa opened up the stall, which Red had obviously set up for the horse, and Hope led Freedom inside. "I need to grab my tack, really quickly…"

"Carole and I can get that, Lisa can keep filling you in." Stevie said. Carole made a face, but agreed anyway, following Stevie out of the stable once more.

"So…How long have you been riding?" Lisa asked, while Hope ran her fingers over the stalls, all the way up to the doors.

"Since I was four years old. I learnt on an old pony…Waffles…" Hope said, when she rejoined Lisa again, watching Freedom sniff every inch of the new stall.

"Did he like to eat waffles, or was that just…"

"Just a game. He absolutely hated waffles. I used to use them as Frisbees when I was little…My twin thought it was hilarious. She isn't into riding - she prefers tennis and soccer…" Hope said gently. "What's her name?"

"Ruby…" Hope said, trailing off slightly, humming to Freedom, who seemed content with the stall he was in. Mrs. Reg came by, and smiled.

"Oh, hello dear. Welcome to Pine Hollow…Now, I brought you a list of rules, regulations, and traditions and so forth…I do hope you stay." She said softly, and Hope nodded.

"I intend to. Let's just hope Daddy doesn't get moved again." Hope said softly, biting on her lip slightly. Mrs. Reg smiled kindly once more, before she continued on her way, murmuring about changing the chores roster.

"She's Max's mother." Lisa explained, as Stevie and Carole bustled in with Freedom's tack. Lisa watched carefully, while Hope walked over, slightly to the right of her two friends, before Freedom whickered towards her. Hope paused for a second, before heading more towards them. Lisa frowned slightly at the girls back. That was strange, how come she didn't see that?

She tried to think about it, while Hope, Stevie and Carole started hanging up her tack, which Hope seemed to love doing, for some odd came through, with little Melanie running beside her to keep up. Lately, Melanie had started idolising Veronica, and it bordered on annoying.

"That the new girl, again? Her parents weren't here, so she hasn't got the forms signed yet! She's not aloud to be here. You three will be o-"

"Actually…" Hope's voice said from behind Veronica. "My mam and dad already had the forms signed and everything. I just had to hand them in. I'll be joining in your lesson today. Hope you don't mind." Hope said, hands rested on her hips, a single eyebrow turned around, giving Hope her snootiest glare.

"In fact, I mind very much, missy. And what d'you think you're doing?"

"It looks like I'm doing a good job of getting on your nerves." Hope said sweetly, glaring at Veronica. "Best go wipe that look off your face, before someone wonders what you're complaining about this time." She tacked on at the end. Veronica turned her nose in the air and marched off towards her horses snickered a little.

"Time for miss 'I get my own way' to hang her head in shame. Nice job, Hope."

"I dunno, she shouldn't be insulting people on her first day." Carole told Stevie worriedly. Stevie shook her head, shrugging it off.

"Do you really think Veronica wants the whole stable to know that the new rider just completely owned her? No, she doesn't." Stevie answered for Carole, who couldn't help but to watched, as Hope sat down with a pad and pencil, and started writing things down. "What's that?"

"Reminders and stuff. For when I'm riding. When do lesson's start?"

"Not for another hour." Lisa said softly. "We'll walk you around the stables if you like?" She asked curiously. Hope smiled for a second, and nodded her head.

"I'd like that…Thanks." She said, standing upright. Stevie led the way down the long hall of horses, while Lisa and Carole stayed behind the girl.

"I wonder how well Freedom jumps…" Carole said, drifting off.

"With a name like Freedom, you'd think pretty well." Lisa murmured back, jumping a little bit when Hope spoke up, from about twenty metres in front.

"Y'know, I can hear you two." She said quietly, while Stevie pointed out who's horses were who's, and telling Hope about some of their personalities.

Carole and Lisa exchanged glances, but left it be at that. Hope obviously had good hearing. Just another thing about another student to get used to.

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><p>Hey, peeps :D I should probably explain the weird things with my comments beforeafter, before I continue onwards.

I type all these up, and I'll post them when I somehow get a chance to, which is becoming less frequent, lately. I'll try and get online more, see how it helps. ANYWAY...If you read this failure, I love you :D


	2. What You Paid For

Hi again, peoples. Because, I'm having some issues with depression, and writing helps me, I will try and update each of my stories reguarly. I realise I probably won't get many readers for this one, but I love Saddle Club, so XD

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><p><em>Say what you mean<em>  
><em>Tell me I'm right<em>  
><em>And let the sun rain down on me<em>  
><em>Give me a sign<em>  
><em>I want to believe<em>

_Woah, Mona Lisa,_  
><em>You're guaranteed to run this town<em>  
><em>Woah, Mona Lisa,<em>  
><em>I'd pay to see you frown<em>

Panic! At The Disco - The Ballad of Mona Lisa

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><p>By the time lesson's started, Stevie and Carole were fairly certain Hope was slightly crazy. She never looked directly at them, always to the side of them, and when they pointed it out to her, she only said 'sorry'. Lisa, on the other hand, quite liked her.<p>

She was quite direct, and very realistic. If she had a problem with things, she said so - as was proven, when she caught sight of Veronica yelling at Red to take care of Danny for her - and she seemed quite nice.

Lisa helped her tack up Freedom, allowing her a chance to have a good look at the horse. He was strong through the legs, which prompted a few questions.

"What kind of riding do you use Freedom for?" She asked Hope, who smiled slightly, as she leaned down and tightened Freedom's girth a little bit.

"Dressage, show jumping, and cross country. He loves to jump, and he's a show off…aren't you, boy?" She said, half to Lisa, half to her horse, who whickered appreciatively as Hope scratched behind his ears.

"Would you like some help with Garnet? Freedom loves having his tack on…I've never gotten it, but if I try and take it off of him, he complains about it! He tries to nibble at my fingers when I remove his tack." Hope said, shaking her head.

Lisa couldn't help but chuckle. She didn't know a single horse who liked being left standing in his tack.

"Uhm, thanks. We're going to be late, if we don't hurry though." Lisa told her. Hope nodded, and offered her fingers out to Garnet, who seemed to accept the strange girls scent without much trouble. Hope hummed while she helped Lisa tack up Garnet, before she helped Lisa mount up.

"Are you sure you don't want some help mounting your mountain of a horse?" She asked Hope, who shook her head, easing a foot into the stirrup.

"Nope, been riding him long enough to know how to do it right." She said softly, hopping twice, before she grabbed onto the saddle horn, and swung her other leg up and over. "See?" She said cheerfully, trotting through the stable, Lisa following her, stopping when she reached the horse-shoe, reaching up to rub it.

"You've got to do this too." Lisa reminded Hope, who was waiting for her. Hope rode Freedom back over, reaching upright, frowning when she missed it. Freedom whickered softly, shaking his head to the left. Hope moved her hand leftwards, and rubbed the horse shoe for a second.

"C'mon, lets go." She said softly, joining the other students, while Lisa tried to work out why she hadn't touched it the first time, before following smiled slightly, as he looked at his students.

"Class, we have a new rider joining us today." He said, smiling at Hope. "She's from Scotland, please welcome Hope into the group." Max said kindly.

"Fall into line, I want you to walk around the ring as a warm-up, until you all have the right form. Remember - heels down, toes up! Straight line from your elbow to the bit, keep your eyes in between your horses ears." Max reminded the waited for a little while, falling into line right at the end, keeping her eyes locked on the rider in front of her, counting the hoof beats as she walked.

_One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four…One, two…_

"Veronica, chin up!" Max called over. The snooty girl in front of Hope rolled her eyes, and pulled her chin upwards, while Hope started counting again, frowning slightly.

They'd been around the ring, she noticed, and counted how many fours she'd counted. She nodded her head, noting that in her mind.

"Nice work, Carole, Hope…Trot please, ladies…" _Right…_Hope started counting once more, in beat to Freedom's trotting, using it as a timer for her posting.

_One, two, one two, one, two, one two…_

Carole's mind twitched at her. She suddenly didn't like being put in the same league as Hope. She wanted to out class the girl by miles…but how did she…

"Carole! Concentrate!" Max scolded her. Carole made a face. Darn it, she'd gotten too caught up in her thoughts once more...hang on, what was she thinking?

She fixed her feet, and stopped posting until she got back in rhythm. She scowled when Max complimented Hope once more, along with Lisa.

He asked them to halt, but Starlight wouldn't obey her. He must have sensed she was distracted, and wasn't taken her seriously. Carole tugged, frustrated, once more on the bays reins, before he got the message.

Behind her, Freedom had obeyed already, along with the rest of the class. Max frowned at her slightly, walking over towards her.

"You aren't holding your reins quite tight enough." He informed her, watching her stance for a minute or two. "And you're too low in the saddle." He said simply, walking back to his spot in the middle of the ring.

"One at a time, I'd like you to canter around the ring…Stevie, you start." Max said. Hope made sure no one was watching, before she held a hand over her eye, to see where the others were going. Towards Max. She followed Lisa, and pulled into line beside her.

Lisa turned her head, expecting to see Carole, but Hope was in line beside her instead. Carole had selected a spot further down the line.

"How's your first lesson at Pine Hollow goin'?" Lisa asked Hope quietly, while Max watched Stevie cantering Belle around the ring.

"Great…I've signed up for an advanced jumping class too." Hope told Lisa, who smiled a little.

"How long have you been jumping for?" Lisa asked, curiously.

"Since I was seven years old…Just started out small, just walking Waffles over logs and stuff. Been doing cross country for a little while too. I'm not very good at dressage, so I want to learn a better technique, and just more of it..." Hope admitted, as Stevie finished up, and Max went over what he wanted her to work on.

"Carole, you next." Max said, and Lisa turned her head to watch her friend. Stevie joined Lisa's other side, and leaned over.

"Wanna meet up at TD's?" She whispered into Lisa's ear. Lisa nodded happily, before nodding towards where Hope was watching Carole canter around the ring on Starlight. Stevie sighed, but nodded her head. Lisa smiled happily at Stevie, mouthing a thank you, before watching Carole try and halt Starlight again. Max frowned slightly.

"Is Starlight having a bad day, Carole?" He asked her. Carole nodded her head slightly, reaching out to rub Starlight's neck. He jumped a bit at her touch, and Max crossed over to her once more, to have a look at his neck. "He's slightly swollen, Carole…"

"Huh…that wasn't there when I tacked him up." Carole said, confused. Max sighed, and nodded towards the stable, still looking over Starlight's neck.

"He's obviously not going to focus today…When Judy comes around, I'll have her check him over for you." Max told her. Carole dismounted, and led Starlight back into the stables.

"Hope, let's see you cantering." Max said gently to her. Hope gently signalled for Freedom to move ahead. Lisa grinned at her, holding the thumbs up. Stevie grinned at her.

"You seem to like her."

"She's nice…" Lisa said, as Hope lined up Freedom's head with Garnet's, and eased into the canter, counting once more.

_One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three…_

She kept going around the ring, once or twice, until Max called for her to stop. She tugged back gently on Freedom's reins, and Max smiled blurrily at her.

"Well done…You seem sort of cautious though, I'd like to see more security in your riding…Lisa, your turn. Hope, watch her, you'll see what I mean."

Hope nodded, narrowing her eyes slightly, hoping she wouldn't have to cover her eye to see properly. She watched Lisa and Garnet around the ring, and smiled. They looked like they were one together, they were so beautiful. When Max called for them to stop, Lisa quite easily halted Garnet, who seemed way too happy to obey her mistress.

"That is what you need, okay Hope?" Max told her. Hope nodded, as Lisa rejoined her other side. Out of the corner of her eye, Lisa caught sight of Hope rubbing one of her eyes, while another girl cantered around the ring, before leaving her hand there.

When Veronica's turn came, and Max looked down the line, Hope's hand came down and grabbed onto the reins, looking as if she were at a show. If anything, she completely ignored Veronica, paying all her attention to Freedom, who lapped it all up.

"Okay, class, we're done for today. Intermediate jumpers, help Red set up, Advanced Jumpers, your lesson is in two hours…allow your horse some time to cool down. Everyone else - I guess you're done…Remember to do your stable chores, and if you stick around, then please keep away from the jumpers…Hope, a second please?" Max spouted out, without taking a breath.

Hope nodded her head, leading Freedom out of the ring, and dismounting. Max came up to her, smiling to himself as he did, and stood beside her. She stroked down Freedom's elegant neck, cooing to him gently, as if he were only a child.

"What did you want to say, anyway?" She asked him, when she registered he'd joined her. Max frowned at her a little.

"I noticed there were no medical records in there…I sort of need them. There were some notes from your old tutor about colds and so on, but nothing about injuries or so…We need them on file, just in case." Max told her. Hope frowned for a second.

"I've broken my wrist, had a dislocated knee cap, and shoulder blade…Sprained ankle, and had a concussion which had me asleep for three days." Hope said, nearly instantly. "And the odd broken toe or two." She added. Max nodded his head.

"If you fill it, have your parents sign the form when they pick you up…"

"They won't be picking me up, sir. I'll walk it home with me. Mam and dad have work, so I'll have to walk home, and hope Ruby's there when I show up…"

"Both your parents work? What do you do?" He asked curiously. "If Ruby isn't home, I'll probably unpack some more…I'll be alone, I guess, but we've all got keys, and I know to shut and lock everything." Hope assured him. Max frowned, but let her go.

Freedom whickered at Max gently, asking for a pat. Max chuckled, offering his fingers. Freedom gummed at them helpfully, before resting his nose under Max's hand. Max laughed, delightedly, and stroked Freedom's face gently.

"He's a wonderful creature…Has he always been a cuddly one?"

"Always, sir…I better get his tack off, and cool him off…I'll see you for my jumps class." Hope told him, lowering her head as she went. She untacked Freedom, with a little difficulty, and went to hang her things up. Stevie, Lisa and Carole were all talking in the tack room. She stayed outside, unsure whether to come barging in or not.

"You're going to invite her to OUR place? Lis, she's a nutcase."

"She is not, Carole..."

"Stevie's right - don't be so closed minded. You're just mad that she had a better lesson than you did. Relax, she's just not feeling right here...Give her some time to settle in..."

"I don't want her to settle in!"

"...appreciate that, Carole." Hope found herself saying, stepping into view, and hanging her things up on the hooks supplied. Carole went scarlet, while Hope's green eyes glared at her. Lisa stepped in the middle of the two girls.

"Guys...Calm down." Lisa said gently, while Hope bit down on her lip and grabbed onto her bag, which she appeared to have stashed under one of the benches, and left, muttering words that none of the girls could understand.

Stevie rolled her eyes and followed the girl, glad for being able to keep a clear head. When she got closer, she could at least here what Hope was saying.

"_Prendido ata vaca! Incrible. Non se aquí mesmo un día...A ignorancia é unha cousa tan feliz." _Hope was telling her horse, stroking at his neck gently. Freedom's liquid eyes watched her every movement, as she muttered out her frustrations.

"Hope?" Stevie asked. "Don't mind Carole, she's just...threatened I guess." She continued, not really giving the girl an oppertunity to cut through her. Hope only turned to glare for a second, and it was in that brief moment that Stevie realised that the girls right eye was practically on fire, while her left one seemed dead still. She also realised the girl had a raging temper.

Freedom whickered at Stevie, and nodded his head a few times, asking for a pat. Stevie offered her hand to the gelding, who sniffed it gently and brushed against her hand. He seemed to be smiling at her, while Hope leaned against the stall door, slowing her breathing.

"She hasn't even known me for three hours - I think she's being a little judgemental." Hope said, and Stevie nodded her head.

"That's just Carole these days. She's not normally like that, but she's been so competitive lately. Don't worry about her, oka - "

"_Non é bo para ela tratar as persoas así_! ...Sorry." Hope cut across, as Stevie gave her a very confused glance, but ignored it otherwise.

"...D'you wanna come into town with us? We were going to stop off at TD's..."

"What's TD's?'

"Tastee Delights...ice cream parlour." Stevie told her. Hope bit on her bottom lip, weighing up her options. Going home to an empty house, and no Freedom to distract her, or go with the girls, and see the town a little.

She chose the latter. "Okay then..." she murmured softly. "And sorry for snapping...When I get mad, I tend to slip out of English and into Gaelic." Hope apologised. Stevie shrugged it off, as Hope's hand touched her's lightly as she reached out to stroke Freedom's neck.

"He's a beautiful horse...He's so sweet tempered too..." Stevie said, watching as Freedom turned his head to try and gum her fingers. Hope smiled distantly, nodding her head.

"He's my big baby...We got him and his mother when he was just born - poor thing...His mother died, and I looked after him...I helped him, and now he helps me." Hope said, not really minding what she said. Stevie smiled a little, as Hope pressed a kiss to Freedom's big head.

"C'mon...We'll go get Lisa, and...maybe Carole. We still haven't shown you around properly! I want to show you one of the foals we have around here! All before your jumping class." Stevie said eagerly. Hope's eyes widened happily.

"Foals?" Hope asked, and Freedom nudged her from behind. Hope laughed at him, and nodded her head. "You used to be one! You were so cute! ...What happened?"

Freedom looked as if he understood her, because he whickered at her and gummed at her fingers. She smiled and stroked his neck.

"What were you saying about foals?"

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><p>*snickers* Okay, that's the end of this chapter...I'll go more into Freedom and Hope's relationship in the next chapter, along with Carole's persona change.<p> 


	3. Before I Suffocate

I. Am. So. SORRY! I never meant to take this long! Been nearly a week! But I've been so stressed out lately, that internet is becoming less and less important and sanity is becoming an annoying necessity.

However - I promised I would go on about Hope and Freedom's relationship more in this chapter, and Carole's persona change, and I shall deliver! Just bear with me here - it's nearly two o'clock at night here, and sleep doesn't look anywhere within my sights.

I own no one you recognise...

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><p><em>So insecure<em>_, so uptight_

_I break my neck to be polite_

_I cannot take your whispering_

_Your whispering_

_I wanna dance without you!_

_For once, just let me lose myself!_

_I wanna dance without you!_

_For once, just let me lose myself_

_For life, let me lose myself!_

Skylar Grey - Dance Without You

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><p>As Hope directed Freedom around the jumping ring, Lisa and Stevie found themselves holding onto their breath whenever Freedom galloped towards the jump. Freedom always seemed to know just where to jump, and with Hope's guidance, he made it around the course better than most of the horses in the same class did.<p>

When Hope slowed Freedom down at the end of the course, she nearly seemed ashamed, even when Max praised her on her timing, and focus. He called an end to class, and Hope stayed up on Freedom, and trotted him around to cool him off a little bit, before walking him over to where Stevie and Lisa were waiting on her.

"Is that thing at TD's still on?" Hope asked meekly, and both Stevie and Lisa nodded their heads. Carole had left already for her house, so they were more than willing to show Hope the parlour.

"Thanks…I'll just make sure Freedom's all set up, and I'll meet you here…" Hope said quietly, as she dismounted. She misjudged her timing to the ground, and her knee buckled. As if he could feel it, Freedom's head turned to the side and nestled under her arms to help keep her upright.

"Thanks, boy." She whispered to him, while Lisa spoke. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I do that all the time. That's actually how I dislocated my knee one time. Poor Freedom, Ruby reckons you could feel the sadness coming off of him when she went to feed him for me." Hope said gently, as she rubbed Freedom's neck, and the two walked off, Freedom occasionally nickering at Hope, who would change direction sometimes, or even just straighten up.

"…That horse takes really good care of her…" A voice from behind them startled them both. Melanie.

"A horse will do that if you take care of it. And they say dogs are mans best friends." Stevie said comfortably, while Lisa's eye remained at the stable door, waiting on Hope to come back out with them. She was a little worried about this new girl. Something really didn't seem too right about her…

* * *

><p>Hope wrapped both arms around Freedom, before she got to work with the grooming brushes. She always loved to groom him, and he was such a baby, he'd let her do it for hours on end. It was a soothing practice, and it gave her some time to think. She thought about how she'd become blind in the first place, and how she'd come to own Freedom. It had started with her dad fixing Ruby's window after the girl had flung something through it, when they were nine years old.<p>

_"Hope, honey, can you give me a hand, here?" Her father asked her. The little girl, who had been in the adjoining paddock normally occupied by a pony cleaning up glass shards, bounded across the yard in her boots and dress, eager to help her father out._

_"Can you hold onto this for me?" He asked her, smiling down at her. She obeyed, and started humming. Hope turned her head towards the window, just as her father had swung the hammer down to break some more of the glass away…_

_"OOWWW!" She screeched, covering her face in one hand, and her father turned around in a panic, dropping the hammer._

_"Hope?" He asked, as she removed her hand from her face. She must have looked bad, because her father picked her up and took off to the nearest hospital quickly._

_Waking up wasn't painful, so much as confusing. Her doctor tapped on the door gently and peeked in. "Are you okay?" He asked gently, as he sat down beside her. "Your family is very worried…"_

_"Are they here?" Hope asked, optimistically._

_"…no." He told her, and she deflated a little, before she stared back up at the man. "I can't see you properly…" She said worriedly. "…We figured as much. How much can you see?" He asked her, covering one eye. "Nothing, just all blurry…" He changed eyes. "It's all clear this side."_

_"D'you remember what happened?"_

_"Daddy was taking out the glass from Ruby's window, and he asked me to help him, and that was all I can remember." She answered, truthfully. The doctor smiled down at her gently, before he knelt down beside her bed. "Hope…You got hit in the eye with a shard of glass…Pretty big one…You won't be able to see out of that eye again." He told her, before his pager went off, and Hope lay down, covering her blind eye from him. "I'll call your parents and ask them to come get you…"_

_"Don't tell them I'm blind." She whispered, and he frowned. "Excuse me?"_

_"Please don't tell them I'm going to be half blind." She repeated, staring up at him with her good eye. "They won't let me even walk two feet on my own if you do, let alone ride Ginger." Hope pleaded gently. The doctor sighed. "Promise to take care of it?"_

_"Yes, sir." She whispered. "Then I won't tell, promise."_

Her parents had bought Freedom's mother as way of trying to make it up to her. Ruby had apologised for days, but Hope had never paid any mind to anything but her riding, trying to get used to riding with the one eye. But it hadn't gone as well as she'd hoped. She'd managed to sprain her wrist and break three toes on her first try alone. It wasn't fair.

But then Freedom had been born. Right from the start, Freedom had linked onto her. At the time, Hope's parents thought it was only because she was the one feeding him, that she was his mother. But when they'd seen Hope starting to train him at such a young age, and he listened, they realised the two were a match made in Riding heaven.

But Hope had always trained Freedom in other ways. She took him out sometimes, to a special trainer, who offered to train him for her, so he could guide her in her day to day life, in exchange for doing some chores around the stables for him.

Hope's first real friend had come in the form of his son, Seamus. They often worked in the stable together, and went trail riding as well, after Freedom had done his training for the day.

Seamus was the only one who had known she was blind, aside from his father. He'd often helped her, the times she couldn't be around Freedom, he was her eyes, and he helped her adapt to quieter noises, so she could make up for her sight, with her hearing. She'd never been so grateful to two people her whole life for it.

She stroked Freedom's face and pressed her face against his big head. "I love you." She promised him gently. "I'll take care of you, like you do me." She said. "See you tomorrow." She said her goodbyes, and grabbed onto her bag from the tack room. Lisa was just coming in to look for her.

"I was wondering if you were alright…You ready to go?" Lisa asked, and Hope nodded her head a little, following Lisa a little too closely for Lisa to be comfortable. She noticed Hope was running her fingers along the stalls again, and smiled at her.

"Some of the horses don't like that." She told Hope, who snapped her hand back, and kept near Lisa, frowning the whole way. She turned her head over her shoulder, to look at Freedom again. Freedom whickered gently, and Lisa turned her head.

"Will he be okay?" She asked, stopping for a second, causing Hope to bump into her. "Sorry! And he'll be fine, he just makes a bit of a fuss." Hope lied through her teeth, rubbing her eye to hide the fact she was actually trying to see where she was properly. She was nearly at the door. She estimated about fifteen paces away. "C'mon, before he really makes a fuss." She giggled, and headed towards the brighter part of the scenery.

Stevie was waiting on them, grinning good naturedly as she spoke to Red, who beamed over at Lisa and Hope as they made their way over.

"Hey, girls! I was just telling Stevie here that Max is holding a meeting tomorrow morning."

"…Meeting for what?" Hope asked quietly, and Red blinked for a second, before realising he didn't know the girl beside Lisa. "Oh, you're Hope!" He said excitedly. "People have been talking about you since you blabbed off Veronica."

"…whoops." Hope murmured under her breath, and Red snickered a little. "Don't worry, even Max wants to tell her to piss off every now and again." Red said, and Hope nodded her head a little, smiling gently. "So, what meeting?" She asked curiously.

"Just a meeting - all the riders get together with the Stable hands and Max, and we discuss things…Boring most of the time." Red informed her. "But you sort of have to go…" He added, and Hope nodded. "Okay then." She said, keeping her eyes trained on a spot on the ground.

"Anyway, we better get going! See you tomorrow morning, Red!" Stevie said cheerfully, while Hope and Lisa headed off without her.

"So that's Red…who haven't you met?"

"Stevie, no need to launch her at everyone in Pine Hollow!" Lisa teased gently, and Stevie rolled her eyes a little bit. "But she DOES need to know people!"

"No I don't! I know you three, Red, Veronica and Max - that's all I need to know." Hope giggled a little bit, pulling her jacket on. It was getting a little chilly. The girls hiked their way to TD's, and found their usual booth. A girl of maybe sixteen came over for their orders, while they looked over the menu.

"We always order something new and weird…" Lisa informed Hope, who was looking at Stevie funny when she ordered peppermint chip ice cream, with strawberry topping, and marshmallows.

"I'll have the banana mango swirl ice cream, with blue heaven topping, and aniseed sprinkles…Oh, hi Valeria!" Lisa said, grinning as she put her menu down, and Valeria turned towards Hope, who fumbled as she tried to read the menu.

Valeria had bright, curly red hair she had tied back into a braid, and hazel eyes which sparkled cheerfully at the three girls.

"Umm…Chocolate, chocolate chip ice cream, with caramel topping, and…um, wafer…" Hope said, when she'd managed to read most of the list. "Thanks." She told Valeria, blushing as the waitress grinned and winked at her.

"A normal order from your table! We'd never thought we'd see the day."

"I'm new to the country." Hope explained to the girl, who beamed at her cheerfully. "I can tell! Scottish?" She asked cheerfully, and Hope nodded, smiling up Valeria.

"Mostly - Scottish/Irish, but I grew up in Scotland." Hope explained to Valeria, who grinned. "I love Scottish accents, they're so beautiful…Oh, damn, that's my boss, I need to get back to work…You should have your ice creams in a minute." Valeria explained, as she skipped off happily, humming a song Hope started singing to herself.

"She's got her lipstick on, here I come, da da dum, she's got her lipstick on, hit and run, then I'm gone…Whoops, sorry…" Hope lowered her head a little bit again, embarrassed.

"…Who the hell sung that?" Lisa asked, half laughing, while Hope snickered. "John and Edward Grimes." She said cheerfully, while Stevie spoke up.

"So where do you live, anyway?" She asked Hope, who started rummaging in her bag and pulled out a piece of paper. "There…I don't actually know the way back, but I figure the street signs should help." She said, pointing to address on the paper. Lisa and Stevie looked over and Stevie started laughing to herself.

"Lisa, she's across the road from you!" She exclaimed, while Lisa checked the address again. Yep, sure enough. She was number 17, Hope was at number 18. She raised her eyebrows again, as Hope pulled out the same pad she'd been writing in earlier, and started to sketch something on the paper.

"What are you drawing?"

"Dunno…Dreamt about it last night, and I just remembered it." She admitted, and lowered the pencil again, and chewed on the already chewed up end of it, before she added a little more detail to something or other, before pulling it back. A hand with an eye in the centre stared back at Lisa and Stevie.

"Do you always draw?" Stevie asked.

"Sea - Dad always said it was a good stress relevant, and that you remember things better if you draw them." Hope said. "And he's right, because you have to hold the image in your mind longer." She added, as she closed up the book and shoved it back into her bag, as Valeria came back and sat down with them, putting their ice creams down on the table, and her own.

"I'm on break now…" She said, stretching, using a spoon to scoop a large amount off her ice cream, and stuffed it in her mouth. "So hungry…" She admitted. Hope giggled, as she took one of the wafer biscuits and rolled it in the sauce.

"You would be - watching EVERYONE else eating ice cream, and you're not allowed any until your break." Hope told her, sticking the wafer biscuit inside her mouth. Lisa snickered as Stevie made a face at the taste of her ice cream mixture.

"…okay. Not that combination again." She reminded herself, as she continued to eat through the ice cream, while Lisa, Hope and Valeria all giggled. "I'll remind you next time." The red head promised Stevie, who nodded her head. Lisa grinned. "Mine tastes fine." She told Stevie, who rolled her eyes at Lisa. Hope didn't bother pipping up. Hers was the only sensible order at the table, not counting Valeria.

"We didn't officially get introduced. I'm Valeria Hayes, you?" The red head offered out her hand to Hope, who took it shakily, hoping she wouldn't accidentally poke the girl in the eye. When her hand connected, she shook the girls gently.

"Hope McIntyre, nice to meet you…so…how do you know Lisa and Stevie?" She asked. Lisa spoke up, while Stevie made faces at her ice cream.

"She takes our order every time, it's an unspoken rule here at TD's. That, and she's willing to deal with our weirdness! Here, and at school…At least for Carole and I…Stevie goes to a private school." Lisa told Hope, who grinned at Stevie.

"You're Mr. Lake's daughter, aren't you?" She asked curiously. Stevie nodded her head, a little confused. "Cool! We had him visit us. Some stupid thing about welcoming us to the town, or whatnot…I wasn't paying much attention to it…He seems pretty friendly."

"He's great." Stevie grinned. "Bit strict, but that's just what parents are like. Talk to Lisa of all people." Stevie said, and Lisa made a face. "Mum would force me into numerous classes she thought were lady like…" Lisa grumbled, taking a spoonful and examining it.

"Horse riding was my favourite, and I've talked to her about it…she could almost ruin this for me, I bet." Lisa sighed. Valeria grinned.

"Lucky me - my mum and dad don't care what I do. So I work here, and play soccer…I pay for my own things that way!" She said happily. Hope shrugged.

"Mum and dad are hardly home, so…" She murmured, finishing off her ice cream. "It's normally just me and Ruby. She plays soccer too…Or she wants to anyway…Where do you play?"

"In the next town over. There isn't a soccer team here, which sucks completely. One of my friends works around there, so he drives me over." Valeria told Hope, who wrote that down on the same piece of paper as her address. Valeria smiled at her, as she lowered her head down.

"I better get home." Lisa said, making a face when she saw the time. "Mum will kill me if I'm gone any longer." Lisa told Hope and Stevie. Stevie nodded. "I'll come with you - I'm meant to be doing homework. If I don't keep my grades up, I'll have to stop riding…See you tomorrow, Hope." Stevie said. Lisa left with her, and Hope lowered her head to the put a hand on the back of the girl's head.

"You feeling okay?" She asked, and Hope shook her head a little, as she sat upright.

"No." She admitted, wiping the tears she hadn't even let fall out of her eyes away. She somehow managed to scrape a little of the caramel sauce off the side of the bowl, and used it like a lollipop. Valeria smiled a little.

"Why don't you stay here, and I'll walk you home after I'm done working?" She asked. Hope smiled at the girl and nodded her head. "Okay."

* * *

><p>Carole Hanson was in the process of yelling at her father.<p>

"I DO NOT NEED TO GO SEE A PSYCHIATRIST!" She belted out at him, and he thundered back at her. "DO NOT USE THAT TONE WITH ME!" He growled, and she calmed back down for a second. "Go to your room…I'll call you when dinner's ready." He said quietly. Carole obeyed him, turning around at the end of the hall. "I'm sorry, dad." She whispered, before retreating into her room.

Colonel Hanson was not the only person to notice the change in his daughter. One person had suggested she was bipolar, another said dual personality. But either way, something was very wrong with Carole.

It had started about six months ago, after Carole hadn't been selected for Pine Hollow's riding team for a big competition. He didn't know what was said between Carole and Max, but he knew something was said from Max's side, and Carole had seemed to split herself into two people. Everyone's Carole, and her own version of Carole. Sometimes he caught her talking to herself, and answering.

It was frightening him, and he wanted to have her checked out. He was thinking about bringing a psychiatrist here to the house, instead of taking her to see one. She wouldn't go if she knew where they were heading, so why not? He was getting desperate.

He didn't know what he was going to do 'd have to work it out somehow. Max had called him today to tell him Carole had ridden Starlight while he was obviously bruised up on his shoulder, and then said she hadn't wanted the new girl there, and that this behaviour kept up, he'd have to suspend her. This wasn't his daughter doing those things, and he was desperate to find out what was wrong.

He opened up the phone book, and looked through the pages. He'd have to find someone. He found a number and dialled it in. "Hello…"

Half an hour later, an appointment was made, and he had to get started on dinner. He wouldn't tell her about it, until the doctor showed up. He was just worried…And he wanted to know what was wrong.

* * *

><p>Hope had never been a very open person, so when she found herself talking about the incident from when she was younger, she instantly shut her mouth. But Valeria was curious now.<p>

"Wouldn't you be blind by now?" She asked meekly. Hope nodded her head, and covered her eye. "Yes…This one…I can see you clearly, but…when I take it away, you're a little fuzzy, and out of focus. Occasionally, I see two objects as well…Made riding hard for a long time, especially jumping. But I trained myself to be able to manage, and someone trained Freedom for me…I just have to get better at day to day life."

"Why don't you tell your parents?"

"They wouldn't let me ride…Which is why you can't tell anybody either." Hope told Valeria, who nodded her head quickly. "I wouldn't until you tell me it's okay…Promise." Valeria told the girl. Hope smiled at her, and whispered a very quiet 'thank you'. Valeria smiled.

"No problem…Hey, are you free tomorrow?"

"From about eleven to three. I've got a meeting in the morning, then I've got a dressage class…" Hope said, frowning to herself.

"Well, why don't I come get you from your meeting, and you can introduce me to Freedom, and we'll go for a walk, and just…talk and stuff." Valeria said. "I know what it's like to be the new girl, and it's really difficult…I had a nice person around for me, so why shouldn't you?"

"Thanks, Valeria…"

"Just call me Val…This your house?" The red head asked. Hope looked up and nodded. "Yeah…looks like it's empty…I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"Sure…and here is my number in case you need to back out." Valeria said, writing her number on the back of Hope's hand. "Thanks again…" Hope said quietly, as she lowered her hand back to her side. Valeria smiled and waved as she jogged away.

Hope unlocked the front door and slid into the empty house, feeling much more lonesome than she had before. She checked her watch, before deciding she would call Seamus. She needed a familiar voice. As she dialled the number, she couldn't help but sink into the emptiness of her new house.

The phone rang in her ear. A second time, and a third, before Seamus picked up. "Hello?" He asked, and Hope smiled at his voice. That felt better already. "Hey, Slim Shady!" she said, using her nickname for him. Mostly because he swore like him. It was more ironic than anything - Seamus absolutely hated rap music, with a searing passion.

"Hey, Hopie! How are you?"

"Lonely, but coping…you?" She asked, as she trudged up the stairs, glad for the wireless phone. She clicked it on speaker, and set it down on the floor, so she could unpack at the same time.

"Not bad. Dad's training someone at the moment, and I'm just hanging around at home. What're you doing…and what was that?" He asked when she crashed into the side of one of her doors.

"Oww…sorry, I crashed into my door." Hope called back, and she could hear him laughing as she put a few things in her adjoining bathroom.

"I'm on speaker, aren't I?"

"Yeah, sorry…I need to unpack some more, or mum and dad WILL notice…for once." Hope plopped herself back by the phone, and nursed her blood nose.

"Still haven't told them?"

"I'm not telling them, Seamus! Honestly, d'you really think they'd even let me walk from my room to the kitchen on my own if they knew?" She asked him. She heard Seamus sigh, as she plugged her nose and leaned forwards.

"What about riding here? Won't that be dangerous? You don't know the area, and neither does Freedom." Seamus told her. Hope sighed herself, using her spare hand to grab onto a cloth she'd brought in with her last night, and then her bag, pulling the book with the drawings in it. There was a stable lay-out of Pine Hollow, and the rings.

"I've got a layout here of the riding stable, and all the jumping rings…And as long as I don't ride alone, then I should be good…"

"…okay. I'll tell my dad you're going well then?"

"Thanks…I already made three friends here too. Two of them ride at the same stable, and one of them I met at the ice cream parlour down here."

"Ahh, American summers…so much hotter than the summer's here." Seamus teased her, and Hope giggled a little. He had a point.

"Come down here next summer, then!" She told him, when she heard a door open and shut, and her mothers voice called up the stairs.

"Hang on Seamus, yeah mum, I'm home!" She called back down. "Good! I was hoping you could help me…" Hope sighed, not really listening to the rest of what her mother said.

"I gotta go, Seamus. I'll call you again soon…" She rattled off her address before she ran downstairs, forgetting about her nose. Her mother never even noticed.

* * *

><p>…Okay, end of chapter three! Seamus and Valeria are going to become mildly important characters later on, so remember them…I'll see you guys whenever I type more up!<p> 


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